Orchard
Sky Top Orchard
U-pick apples in Zirconia, North Carolina
From the farm's website
The farm's own words, quoted as posted on its website, with the page each line comes from and the day we read it. Seasons, hours and prices change: check with the farm before you go.
U-pick
“Timed U-Pick entry helps us provide the best picking experience by matching guests with fruit that’s ready and at its peak ripeness.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“Walk-up U-Pick is available only if fruit remains.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“Timed tickets are only required to guarantee U-Pick.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
Crops and picking times
“Sky Top Orchard's panoramic views are best enjoyed while picking some of the freshest mountain-grown apples Western North Carolina has to offer.”
“Bring your friends and family, fill a bag of locally grown fruit, and savor an apple-picking experience that creates memories to last a lifetime.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
Hours
“New tickets are released every Wednesday at noon.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“New tickets are released Wednesdays at noon.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“For the lightest crowds, visit on weekday afternoons.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“Reservations will be released weekly (Wednesdays at Noon) , as we can evaluate our crop.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/visit, checked October 6, 2026
Prices
“Each $30 ticket includes one U-Pick bag (shared by up to 5 people).”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“Extra pickers are $4 each.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
Before you go
“As always, you do not need a timed ticket to visit Sky Top.”
“Your reservation guarantees a picking time—not a specific fruit variety.”
“If bags are still available, you can purchase one when you arrive.”
“Strollers and personal backpacks, purses, or bags are not allowed in our picking fields.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“If your timed reservation is affected, we'll help you reschedule or refund your ticket.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“U-Pick Timed Tickets vs. Walk-Up”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
Besides picking
“You're always welcome to enjoy our market, bakery, pizza, playground, and attractions.”
“You're still welcome to visit Sky Top and enjoy our market, fresh donuts, pizza kitchen, scenic orchard, observation tower, photo spots, animal barn, bamboo forest, apple cannon, gem mine, and more.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/u-pick, checked October 6, 2026
“Picnic Tables are first-come, first-served.”
Source: skytoporchard.com/faqs, checked October 6, 2026
“Stop by Pie in the Sky Pizza , grab a snack on the go, or savour our famous apple cider doughnuts .”
Source: skytoporchard.com/visit, checked October 6, 2026
What you can pick
- Apples
Crops and months read from the lines quoted above; a crop with no months is one the farm names without a picking window.
| Crop | How | Months | When (farm) | Varieties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | U-pick & pre-picked | Not stated | – |
Typical North Carolina seasons (a published harvest calendar, not this farm's dates)
- Apples: August–October. Source: N.C. Cooperative Extension, Lenoir County Center: Fall Is for Apple Picking in North Carolina (September 17, 2025), read October 6, 2026.
At a glance
- Address
- 1193 Pinnacle Mountain Rd, Zirconia, NC 28731Henderson County
Besides picking
- Farm store
- Bakery
- Cider donuts
- Petting zoo
- Playground
- Picnic area
Sky Top Orchard: questions
Does Sky Top Orchard have U-pick?
Yes. The farm's website says: "Your whole group should arrive and enter U-Pick field together."